Lack of awareness bane of RTI

Mainstreaming of Right To Information Act (RTI) in solving community problems and accessing information is handicapped by grossly low-level of awareness among the population at the grass-roots.

People are unaware of the entire chain of citizens’ rights under RTI starting from application to complaint and appeal. This despite RTI being a very potent weapon to ensure action in core areas like land rights, forest rights, NREGS, IAY, drinking water, agriculture, electricity, education and health in the rural and backward areas.

In villages of Koraput as low as 8 per cent of people have little knowledge of RTI while 17 per cent have heard of the Act in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts along with 11 per cent in Sundargarh, reveals a baseline study commissioned by the Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD).

The study took into consideration four sample villages in Koraput and Sundargarh districts and two each in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj, particularly assessing the knowledge of women-led groups. It was presented at the State-level convention on RTI here today. It found that 2 per cent used RTI in Koraput, three in Sundargarh and four in Keonjhar-Mayurbhanj districts.

The findings have underlined an urgent need to develop handholding support mechanisms for the people in filing RTIs to solve problems. The community-based organisations should be trained to spearhead community action in demanding transparency and accountability from Government organs. The record management system in the public authorities should also be strengthened and streamlined so as to provide information on demand quickly, State Information Commissioner Jagadananda stressed.

The convention was attended by more than 100 community participants from Sundargarh, Koraput and Keonjhar districts.

Among others, CYSD chairman PK Sahoo, former State I&PR Secretary RN Das, MLA Ashok Panda and director of Open learning System Kasturi Mohapatra were present.